CUPBOARD LOVE, pretended love to the cook, or any other person, for the sake of a meal. Mr. CUNNINGHAM, a punning appellation for a simple fellow. CUP SHOT, drunk. CUP OF THE CREATURE, a cup of good liquor. CUPID, BLIND CUPID, a jeering name for an ugly blind man Cupid the god of love being frequently painted blind. CURBING LAW, to hook goods out of windows (cant), the curber is the thief, the curb the hook. CUR, a cut or curtailed dog. According to the forrest laws, a man who had no right to the privilege of the chace, was obliged to cut or law his dog: among other modes of disabling him from disturbing the game, one was by depriving him of his tail, a dog so cut was called a cut or curtailed dog, and by contraction a cur. A cur is figuratively used to signify a surly fellow. CURLE, clippings of money, which curls up in the operation (cant). CURRY, to curry favour, to obtain the favour of a person by coaxing, or servility; to curry any one's hide, to beat him. CURSE OF SCOTLAND, the nine of diamonds. Diamonds, it is said, imply royalty, being ornaments to the imperial crown, and every ninth king of Scotland, has been observed for many ages, to be a tyrant and a curse to that country. CURSITORS, broken pettyfogging attornies, or Newgate sollicitors (cant). CURTAILS, thieves who cut off pieces of stuff hanging out of shop windows, the tails of women's gowns, &c., also thieves wearing short jackets. CURTAIN LECTURE, a woman who scolds her husband when in bed, is said to read him a curtain lecture. CURMUDGEON, a covetous old fellow, derived according to some, from the French term coeur mechant. CURTEZAN, a prostitute. CUSHION, he has deserved the cushion, a saying of one whose wife is brought to bed of a boy, implying that having done his business effectually, he may now indulge or repose himself. CUT, drunk; a little cut over the head, slightly intoxicated; to cut, to leave a person or company; to cut up well, to die rich. TO CUT BENE, to speak gently (cant). To cut bene whiddes, to give good words; to cut queer whiddes, to give foul language. D. DAB, an adept; a dab at any feat or exercise; dab, quoth Dawkins, when he hit his wife on the a-se with a pound of butter. DACE, two-pence (cant); tip me a dace, lend me two-pence. DADDLES, hands (cant); tip us your daddle, give me your hand. DAISY CUTTER, a jockey term for a horse that does not lift up his legs sufficiently, or goes too near the ground, and is therefore apt to stumble. DAISY KICKERS, hostlers at great inns. DALMAHOY, a Dalmahoy wig, a particular kind of bushy bob wig, first worn by a chymist of that name, and afterwards adopted by tradesmen, apothecaries, &c. DAMBER, a rascal. See dimber. DAMME BOY, a roaring, mad blustering fellow, a scourer of the streets, or kicker up of a breeze. DAM, a small Indian coin, mentioned in the Gentoo code of laws, hence etymologists may, if they please, derive the common expression, I do not care a dam, i. e. I do not care half a farthing for it. DAMPER, a luncheon, or snap before dinner, so called from its damping, or allaying the appetite; eating and drinking being, as the proverb wisely observes, apt to take away the appetite. DANCERS, stairs. DANDY PRAT, an insignificant, or trifling fellow. DANGLE, to dangle, to follow a woman without asking the question. DANGLER, one who follows women in general, without any particular attachment, also to be hanged; I shall see you dangle in the sheriff's picture frame, I shall see you hanging on the gallows. DAPPER FELLOW, a smart well made little man. DARBIES, fetters (cant). DARKMANS, the night (cant). DARKMAN'S BUDGE, one that slides into a house in the dark of the evening, and hides himself, in order to let some of the gang in at night to rob it. DARK CULLY, a married man that keeps a mistress, whom he visits only at night, for fear of discovery. DASH, a tavern drawer; to cut a dash, to make a figure. DAVID JONES, the devil, the spirit of the sea, called Neken in the north countries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweeden. DAVID JONES LOCKER, the sea. DAWB, to dawb, to bribe; the cull was scragged because he could not dawb, the rogue was hanged because he could not bribe; all bedawbed with lace, all over lace. DAVY, I'll take my davy of it, vulgar abbreviation of affidavit. DAVID'S SOW, as drunk as David's sow, a common saying, which took its rise from the following circumstance: one David Lloyd, a Welchman, who kept an alehouse at Hereford, had a living sow with six legs, which was greatly resorted to by the curious: he had also a wife much addicted to drunkenness, for which he used sometimes to give her due correction. One day David's wife having taken a cup too much, and being fearful of the consequences, turned out the sow, and laid down to sleep her self sober, in the stye. A company coming to see the sow, David ushered them into the stye, exclaiming, There is a sow for you! did any of you ever see such another? all the while supposing the sow had really been there; to which some of the company, seeing the state the woman was in, replied it was the drunkenest sow they had ever beheld; whence the woman was ever after called David's sow. DAY LIGHTS, eyes, to darken one's day lights, or sow up his sees, to close up a man's eyes in boxing. DEAD MEN, a cant word among journeymen bakers, for loaves falsely charged to their master's customers; also empty bottles. DEADLY, never green, that bears fruit all the year round, the gallows, or three legged mare. See three legged mare. DEAD CARGO, a term used by thieves, when they are disappointed in the value of their booty. DEAD HORSE, to work for the dead horse, to work for wages already paid. DEAR JOYS, Irishmen, from their frequently making use of that expression. DEATH HUNTER, an undertaker, one who furnishes the necessary articles for funerals. See carrion hunter. DEATH'S HEAD ON A MOP STICK, a poor miserable emaciated fellow, one quite an otomy. See otomy. DECUS, a crown piece. DEFT FELLOW, a neat little man. DEGEN, or DAGEN, a sword (cant); nim the degen, steal the sword. Dagen is Dutch for a sword. DELLS, young buxom wenches, ripe and prone to venery, but who have not lost their virginity, which the upright man claims by virtue of his prerogative, after which they become free for any of the fraternity (cant), also a common strumpet. DEMY REP, abbreviation of demy reputation, a woman of doubtful character. DERICK, the name of the finisher of the law, or hangman, about the year 1608. For he rides his circuit with the devil, and Derrick must be his host, and Tiburne the inne at which he will lighte. Vide Bell man of London in art. of prigging law. At the gallows, where I leave them, as to the haven at which they must all cast anchor, if Derrick's cables do but hold. Ibid. DEVIL, a printer's errand boy, also a small thread in the king's ropes and cables, whereby they may be distinguished from all others. The devil himself, a small streak of blue thread in the king's sails. The devil may dance in his pocket, i. e. he has no money; the cross on Our ancient coins being jocularly supposed to prevent him from visiting that place, for fear, as it is said, of breaking his shins against it; to hold a candle to the devil, to be civil to any one out of fear, an allusion to the story of the old woman, who set a wax taper before the image of St. Michael, and another before the devil, whom that saint is commonly represented trampling under his feet; being reproved for paying such honor to Satan, she answered, as it was uncertain which she should go to, heaven or hell, she chose to secure a friend in both places. DEVIL CATCHER, or DEVIL DRIVER, a parson. See snub devil. DEVIL DRAWER, a miserable painter. DEVIL'S DAUGHTER'S PORTION. Deal, Dover, and Harwich, The devil gave with his daughter in marriage; He added Helvoet and the Brill. A saying occasioned by the shameful impositions practised by the inhabitants of those places on sailors and travellers. DEVIL'S BOOKS, cards. DEVIL'S GUTS, a surveyor's chain, so called by farmers, who do not like their land should be measured by their landlords. DEUSEA VILLE, the country (cant). DEUSEA VILLE STAMPERS, country carriers (cant). |